Window lock



Oct. 27, 1953 R. SWEET 2,657,086

wINDow Locx Filed Jan. 29, 1951 Patented Oct. 27, 1953 UNITED STATES :PATENT .0F F `Il GE "WINDOW LOCK ilwbertLsSweet, Kansas City, Mo. "Application January 29, 1951, Serial No.` 208,329 111i Glaim. (Cl. 292-175) This invention has to do `with 'the i'l'eld of build- "ing and construction and relatesmore `particulaL-rly to window structure, the primary "object "being-to provide a `novel lock readily attachable Vto the window sashesand universallyradaptable for windows of varying natures, all for thepurpose `of-presenting means `to prevent* unwarranted entry through the window andy capable of automatically locking as lthefsashes are shifted.

`It is the mostimportant'object of the`present 'inventionto provide a'window lock in lthe nature of a rack and plunger assembly,` the rack being mounted upon lone ofthe windows and the plung- "er being carried by another lshiitable windowfor reciprocation to and from the teeth of `the rack.

Another object of the" present invention `is'to a point Aenga'gable with provide a win-dow lock particularlyK adapted for use withconventional-windowshaving a pair of vertically reciprablesaSheS," thelo'ck per se including a rack that is mounted upon one ofthe sashes in an upright condition;togetherwith a lockedA against relative reciprocaton automatically when the sa-shes are-moved tothe closed.' position ;r :the way -in whichthe rack 'is formed. and disposed for simple-V` attaehmentto oneiof .the window sashes; and the'way in'which the ldcking assembly is adapted `to` not only 'lock the window 'sashes completelyclosedkbutito hold "the same against further opening from selected open positions as desired.

Many additional more minor objects will be made clear or become apparent as the following specication progresses, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a window lock showing the same operably mounted upon the sashes of a window.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional View taken on line II-II of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, detailed sectional view taken on line III-III of Fig. l; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, detailed sectional view taken on line IV-IV of Fig. 3 looking in the direction of the arrows.

The window structure chosen for illustration 2 of the lock of the'present'invention is of conventional character and particularly adapted-torre- `ceive the lock hereof-and prevent unwarranted `entry as will hereinafter become apparent.y

Such illustrated window includesI a Iframe, broadly designated by `thenumerall I0, adapted to receive an upper `sash I 2andl a lower sash `"I4 for separate side-by-side 'verticalreciprocation within the usual `channels IB and I8 respectively and forming a part of the frame I0. Y

As is well known in thisifleld'; sash'es `12and"l4 are provided with proximal'l horizontalr'ailsll and 22 respectively having juxtaposed, complementary, beveled faces that'are in' interengage- `ment as at 24 when the'sashes I2 and I 4 are in the closed position illustratedin Figs. 1' andi Z'ofthe drawing. Likewise; each sash "I 2` and" I4 Ais'provided with spaced :side 'rails and it 'is uponone of such side Vrails 26 of the `upper sash I2fth'a`t an elongated wrack, Nbroadly designated' :by the numeral 28 and forming a part` 'ofthe 'lock thereof, is operably mounted.

' Vertically disposed raclr '-28 is provided 'with an openingateach 'end respectively thereof for 'receiving' screws or like fasteningelements serving `to mount thet'rack28 upon'the upper Asash I2. One4 `faceA of the'rack"' 23 'isilat'` and therefore, restsy directly `upon thednner face of rail" 2liy as is clear in Figsi 3 and 4 of theJ drawing, while the opposite faceof the rack' 28ihas.a"plu rality` of teeth 32 formed thereon. Each" tooth 32 isdefin'edbyan' angled face 34 and a"V downwardly facing shoulder "36' as `indicatecmost clearlyin botlifFigsL'Z and v3.

An elongated, horizontally reciprocable plunger '38 isfassociated withthe rackiaf'and mounted within the lower sash I4 in alignment with the rack 28. The plunger 38 is provided with a decorative actuating knob 40 on one end thereof and passes entirely through the sash I4 adjacent one uppermost corner thereof for disposition beneath one of the tooth shoulders 36.

It is to be preferred that the horizontally reciprocable plunger 38 be provided with a tubular housing 42 that extends into the sash I4 by mere drilling of a suitable counterbored hole therein and a spring 44 is coiled about the plunger 38 within the housing 42. The housing 42 is provided with a restricted end 43 to present an internal shoulder against which shoulder 46 of plunger 38 bears to limit the movement of the plunger 38 in one direction. One end of the spring 44 bears against the outermost end of the housing 42 while the opposite end of spring 44 engages the annular shoulder 46 on the plunger 38. all for the purpose of yieldably holding the plunger biased toward the rack 28.

It is noted that the lowermost end of the rack 28 extends to a point overlapping a portion at least of the lower horizontal rail 20 of upper sash I2, disposing the lowermost shoulder 36 in overlying engagement with the plunger 38 when the sashes I2 and I4 are both closed.

Accordingly, as indicated in Fig. 4 of the drawing, clearance notches 50 and 52 are formed in the horizontal rails 20 and 22 of sashes I2 and. I4 respectively.

While tubular housing 42 and its plunger 33 are shown disposed at the point of juncture between rail 22 and a vertical rail 54 forming a part of sash I4, it is obvious that the same may be lowered on rail 54 if desired to avoid coniiict with any fastening elements that may be utilized to interconnect rails 22 and 54.

In operation, when it is desired to either raise the sash I4 or lower the sash I2, the operator need merely pull outwardly on the knob 40 to impart reciprocable movement in one direction to the plunger 38 against the action of spring 44. This releases the innermost end of the plunger 38 with respect to the rack 23 and permits such adjustment of the sashes I2 and I4. As soon as the sashes are thus adjusted, release of the knob 40 automatically returns the plunger 38 to a position engaging the rack 28 and underlying the shoulder portion 36 of one of the teeth 32. Such interlocking engagement between plunger 38 and the rack 28, prevents upward movement of the sash I4 or downward movement of the sash I2 separate from each other. Obviously, as an attempt is made to raise sash I4, the sash I2 will be moved therewith until it reaches a closed position whereupon further upward movement of sash I4 is prevented.

Conversely, when downward movement of the f sash I2 is attempted, the sash I4 will move downwardly therewith until the same comes to rest upon sill 56, thereby preventing further movement of the sash I2 toward the open position. If an unauthorized person shifts the sashes I2 and I4 away from each other, the plunger 38 vwill slide along the inclined faces 34 of rack 28 and snap into place beneath successive shoulders 36, thereby rendering the attempted entry even more difcult. It is further clear that when either v or both of the sashes I2 and I4 are partially open, the window will become automatically locked on closing of such sashes because of the springloaded plunger 3B and when such sashes are fully closed as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the plunger will have automatically moved to the position illustrated in Fig. 3 ofthe drawing beneath the lowermost shoulder 36 locking both sashes I2 and I4 against opening.

Other advantages emanating from utilization of a window lock structure such as above described, will become clear to those skilled in the art and while details of construction may be varied from the preferred embodiment chosen for illustration, it is desired to be limited only by the spirit of the invention as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

In a lock assembly for window structures having a pair of sliding sashes, the side rails whereof overlap varying amounts as the sashes are relatively shifted, a toothed rack adapted to be carred by one of the overlapping side rails, and a counterbored hole through the other side rail; a latch mechanism in the hole and adapted to cooperate with the said rack in preventing relative sliding movement of the sashes, comprising a tubular housing having a restricted end for a portion of the length and contoured to nt the counterbored hole and to present a shoulder adjacent one end thereof, the inside diameter of the housing between the proximal endthereof and the shoulder being substantially less than the inside diameter of the housing between the shoulder and the other end of the housing, a perforated closure for the said other end of the housing, a reciprocable plunger mounted in the housing with the perforation of the closure and the restricted end of the housing serving as bearings therefor, a shoulder on the plunger abutting the shoulder of the housing to limit the movement of the plunger in one direction with one end of the plunger in the latching position behind a tooth of the rack, a spring coiled about the plunger between the shoulder thereon and the closure for the `said other end of the housing, and a knob on the other end of the plunger, exteriorly of the housing.

ROBERT L. SWEET.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Oswald et al July 26, 1949 

